Have you ever wondered what it’s like to tumble down the world’s second largest waterfall in a barrel? Annie Taylor did just that. Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls found on the border of New York and Canada. These three waterfalls form the second largest waterfall in the world and hold 20% of the globe’s freshwater. Each year, about 30 million people flock to the waterfalls to sightsee and vacation, and in 1901, Annie Taylor visited the falls.

Annie Edson Taylor was a teacher born in Auburn, New York. She was a widow due to her husband dying while fighting in the Civil War. After his death she settled in Bay City, Michigan and was practically bankrupt. In order to gain financial stability for her future, on her 63rd birthday, she visited the falls with her cat in hopes of fame and fortune.

There have been many stories about daredevils and stunts being pulled at the falls, and Mrs. Taylor wanted part of the action. With nothing but a cat and barrel, she decided she was going to plummet into Niagara Falls. To make sure the journey was safe, she tested on her cat first. After rescuing the unharmed and calm kitty, she climbed into the barrel at the top of the falls.

The infamous barrel was designed by Annie herself. It had cushion lining to prevent injuries and a 200- pound anvil weighing down the bottom. It took about 20 minutes for the stunt to complete. She climbed inside the barrel at 4:00 pm on October 24th, 1901 and was towed by a boat before being cut loose to flow down the falls. The barrel tumbled down the water and was engulfed in the mist. Once the barrel was visible again, she was rescued and only had a cut on her head.

She was the first person to ride down the falls in a barrel, but her stunt inspired other daredevils to challenge the falls too. She did not receive the fame or fortune she wanted. She had a short buzz of popularity that fizzled out rather quickly, and she remained financially unstable. Her story is still told today, and she can even be spotted in a wax museum on the New York side of the falls. This wax museum is within walking distance of the falls and even offers photo opportunities for guests to pose as if they are riding down the falls in a barrel too.

To prevent more stunts like this happening, laws were put into place by Canada and the U.S. to deter daredevils from riding down the falls. If you ride down the falls and survive, you are heavily fined and face several charges.

On April 29, 1921, Annie Edson Taylor passed away at the age of 82. Although gone, her bravery and courage live on today. While she still died poor and impoverished, her friends raised enough money for her to be buried near the falls. People can visit her grave and see the tombstone for the ‘Queen of the Mist.’